Using a U2F Hardware Token With Duo For 2FA

Users who do not have a cellphone or are unable to use the Duo mobile app to receive push notifications, can request a U2F (Universal 2nd Factor) Hardware Token from the Help Desk (Walker, 404). A U2F Token is a piece of hardware (looks like a USB drive) that can clip on a keychain. When using Duo, instead of receiving a push notification, text message, or call, a user can plug in the U2F Token and tap the button on it to authenticate their login attempt.

Once you have collected a U2F Token from the Help Desk, it is very easy to setup and start using.

When logging into an Emerson service or application that requires two factor authentication (more information on 2FA and Duo here: Duo, Single Sign-On, & Two Factor Authentication) for the first time you will be prompted with the following screen:

Click "Start Setup".

On the next screen, choose "U2F Token" and click "Continue".

When you get to the next page, make sure you have pop-ups enabled before clicking continue. To enable pop-ups in Google Chrome see: Block or Allow Pop-ups in Chrome.

Click "Continue".

A pop-up should appear in a new window. From here, plug in your U2F Token into an available USB port on your computer.

Note: There are USB A and USB C U2F Tokens available, please make sure you pickup one compatible with the ports on your computer.

Upon plugging in your U2F Token, there should be a light that flashes on it. Tap where the light flashed.

You should then see:

Click "Continue to Login".

Your U2F Token should flash again. Tap it once more to log in.

If you receive an error message similar to the following, it is likely due to taking too long to tap the U2F Token. Simply close the window and try logging in again.

Users can also use their U2F Tokens to authenticate or add an extra level of security to their personal accounts with any service that supports a FIDO U2F Security Key.

For example, both Facebook and Google support users using a U2F Token to secure their accounts. Read more about them here: